Process for the ornamental treatment of wood



May 13, 1930. E. SCHMID PROCESS FOR THE ORNAMENTAL TREATMENI OF WOOD Filed Nov. 28, 1928 Patented May 13, 1 930 EH IL SCI E IMID, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROCESS FOR THE ORNAMEN TAL TREATMENT OF WOOD Application filed November 28, 1928. Serial No. 322,886.

It is one object of my invention to produce on wood boards and panels a weathered, antique finish of highly ornamental efi'ect.

Another object of my invention is a rapid Q and economical method of applying such treatment.

A further object of the invention is a process whereby laminated panels known to the trade as plywood may be treated in a manner preventing warping and cracking.

The invention also aims to produce a beautiful and artistic building material at a moderate cost.

Other objects will be disclosed as the description progresses in view of the drawing, to which I nowrefer.

Figure 01 is an elevation of a suitable apparatus for carrying out my process in the preferred form.

Figure v2 is a top view with the overhead structure left off.

Figure 3 is a sectional view at line B-B in Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a sectional view at line AA in Figure 1.

Like character marks refer to like parts in all views.

Fourpairs of vertical rollers 2 are mounted on table 1, for the purpose of guiding board 3 through the treating zones. 3 and 3" indicate the stages. of treatment of board 3.. Table 1 has an aperture 4" and an aperture. .5. Two connected blow torches 6 pass through aperture l, and two connected wire brushes .7 pass'through aperture 5. Suitable guides are provided; to permit torches 6 and brushes 7 to move vertically in the apertures 4 and 5 respectively. The guides are "not shown because they are no essential part' of the invention. 'Torches 6 and brushes 7 are connected on their upper ends by frame .8, which is movably linked to the eccentric 10 by connecting rod 9. Eccentric 10 is rotated V by shaft 11, driven'by'a convenient source of power. p

Burners 12 are mounted in pairs opposite each other on torches 6, so as to form a heating zone and may be regulated or cut off by-cocks 12. Gas and air or other suitable disintegrating mediums are fed to torches 6 through hoses 13 and 14, which have the usual valves 15 and 16. Means are also provided to adjust brushes 7, torches 6 and rollers 2 in relation to the thickness of board 3, but since the means of adjustment form no essential part of the invention'they are not shown in the drawing.

In operation, a number of burners corresponding to the width of board 3 are lit and flames are adjusted to burn evenly thus forming a heating zone between the burners 12. Power is then applied to shaft 11, which causes frame 8 to oscillate Vertically, impart ing the same movement to torches 6 andbrushes7. Board 3 is then passed between rollers 2 and torches 6, where both of its surfaces are charred simultaneously and evenly. The oscillating movement of torches 6 prevents burning of the wood in spots, and the flames being applied simultaneously at both surfaces causes the wood to contract evenly, thus effectively preventing warping and cracking of the Wood, in which rollers 2 also assist. Board 3 is movedat a speed corresponding to the required degree of charring toward brushes 7 and passes between the same, again guided by rollers 2. The brushes 7 remove the charred portions of the surfaces of board 3, and owing to the fact that the grain is harder than the intervening fibre the latter is disintegrated deeper, leaving the grain standing out in relief. The effect is highly artistic, especially with richly grained coniferous woods such as cypress or fir. It is thus seen that I have provided a method wherein theboard is supported and held with its opposite faces substantially vertical. The burners are of the blow-torch type and hence produce flames of intense heat which quickly char the surfaces of the board, provided sufiicient-oxygen is present at the exposed faces of the board. The flames from the two sets of burners arranged upon opposite sides of the board are directly projected upon the opposite substantially vertical faces of the board, while these faces are in free access to the atmosphere, as the portions of the faces being charred are completely uncovered, as shown in the.drawings. The arrangement of the board upon edge produces the vertical arrangement of the opposite faces, which blast may beused instead of wire is highly advantageous. -This causes the working conditions upon the vertical facesto be identical, and renders it possible to apply substantially the same degree of heat 5 to the oplposite vertical faces, since the heated some degree of success may be obtained by arranging the boardwith its faces horizon- When wood of uneven surfaces is to be treated, as in mouldings or carvin sand Different means of disintegrating the' surfaces may be used, and in some cases it maybe preferable to carryout the process in two separate operations. I reserve the right to I 20 make such modifications which come within the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims;

I claim as my invention:

1. In the hereindescribed method of treating lumber for producing a weathered. or antique appearance, the steps of holding and supporting a board so that its opposlte faces are substantially vertical and portions of such opposite faces are uncovered and .in access to the atmosphere, simultaneously directly rojecting hot flames upon'both -u'ncovere free access to the atmosphere for filfioducing charred surfaces upon the same w e efie'cting the longitudinal travel of the board.

2. The hereindescribed method of treating lumber for producing a weathered or antique appearance, comprismg holding and supporting a board so that its opposite faces are substantially vertical and gortionsof such opposite faces are uncovere and in free access to the atmosphere, simultaneously directly project-ing hot flames uponboth uncovered portions'of said opposite faces in free access to the atmosphere for producing charred surfaces upon the same while effecting the longitudinal travel -of the board, and simultaneously subjecting both charred faces of the board'to a brus ing action for removing the charred surfaces while the board is bein moved longitudinally,,the steps in the metho being so co-related that. the method is continuous.

access to the atmosphere while efiecting a relative longitudinal movement between the board and flames whereby the oppodte'faces rushes.

portions of said opposite faces in 3-. In the hereindescribed method of treata to remove the charred Intestimony whereo I aifixin s i nature.

are charred and the board prevented from warpm ing lumber for producing a' weathered or antique appearance, the steps of holding and supporting a board so that portions of its opposite faces are uncovered and in free. access to the atmosphere, and simultaneously directly projecting flames upon both uncovered portions of said opposite aces in such a manner that the flames engage at one time substantially the entire transverse areas of the uncovered faces and only relatively short lengths of the longitudinal areas of said faces, and -effecting the 10 'tudinal move-' ment of the board durin the ame treatment.

0 a 5. In' the hereindescri ed method of treatmg lumber for producing a weathered or ant que appearance, the steps of holding and supporting a board so that portions of its opposite a rectly projectin flames upon both uncovered portions of sai .opposite faces and shifting the flames back and forth transverselyof'the board so that the flames engage 'at one time substantially the entire transverse areas of said faces and only of the-longitudina areas of said faces, and

eflr'ecting thelongitudinal travel of the board jectin flames upon both uncovered portions of em opposite faces in free access to the atmosphere while effecting a p relative longitudinal movement between the board and flames whereby the opposite faces are charred and the board prevented from warping, and treating the board forremoving the charred rt hereindescribed method of treating lumber for producingaweathered or antique -appearance;,compr1s1ng holding and supporting a boardoso that its opposite faces are substantially vertical and portions of said opposite faces are uncovered and in free access to the atmosphere, simultaneously directly projecting hot flames upon both uncovered portions of said opposlte faces in free access to the atmosphere for producing charred surfaces upon the same, while effecting a relative longitudinal movement between the board and the flames, and brushing the board rtion. r

4. In the hereindescribed method of treatces are uncovered and in free access to the atmosphere, slmultaneously di-' relatively short lengths ioo 

